EP1488185A1

EP1488185A1 - Heat exchanger

Info

Publication number: EP1488185A1
Application number: EP03729917A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Georg Kämmler
Original assignee: Behr GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Mahle Behr GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2002-03-15
Filing date: 2003-03-12
Publication date: 2004-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 2023-03-12
Also published as: EP1488185B1; WO2003078913A1; DE50310319D1; US20050224213A1; ES2311704T3; DE10211635A1; AU2003240443A1; ATE404838T1

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat exchanger having a plurality of tubes (101) which are arranged in a parallel manner. Two tube parts (130) and (131) are arranged radially outside the tubes (101) in such a way that one part of the first part of the tube (130) is arranged radially outside one part of the second part of the tube (131) on one partial area of the axial extension of the heat exchanger. A sealing element (150) is also arranged in the area where both tube parts (130) and (131) extend over a partial area of the sealing element in the axial direction thereof in radial contact with each other.

Description

heat exchangers

The invention relates to a heat exchanger with at least one tube through which a first medium can flow and which is connected at a first end region to a first end element and at its second end region to a second end element. Such a heat exchanger is particularly suitable for use as an exhaust gas heat exchanger, but also for cooling other media.

Exhaust gas heat exchangers have become known, for example, from DE 196 54 368. In exhaust gas heat exchangers according to DE 196 54 368, exhaust gas flows through a plurality of tubes. These pipes are surrounded by a pipe jacket through which a coolant flows to cool the exhaust gas.

According to DE 296 22 411, an exhaust gas heat exchanger has become known in which a plurality of inner tubes are connected to tube sheets and an outer jacket is connected to them, a coolant being able to flow between the outer jacket and the first tubes. Such heat exchangers have the disadvantage that, given the temperature differences between the exhaust gas flowing through the inner tubes and the coolant temperature, the inner tubes exhibit a substantially greater thermal expansion than the outer tube, so that the thermal cycles caused by heating and cooling of the heat exchanger lead to cracks in the Tube sheets comes.

The object of the invention is to improve exhaust gas heat exchangers according to the prior art in such a way that the heat exchangers are simple and inexpensive to produce and yet there are no cracks over a longer operating time due to different thermal expansions of the inner tubes and the outer jacket.

According to the invention, this is achieved in an above-mentioned heat exchanger by connecting a first or a second pipe part or a pipe-like part to the first and the second terminating element, the two pipe parts running radially into one another at least over a partial area of their axial extent and with at least one sealing element in the space between the pipe parts.

It is particularly expedient if at least one chamber is formed between the first tube part and the second tube part. Between means advantageously in the space between the two pipe parts. This can refer to the radial alignment as well as the axial alignment. This chamber expediently serves to accommodate a sealing element. It is also particularly expedient if the at least one chamber is formed by the first tube part and the second tube part.

It is furthermore advantageous if the at least one chamber has at least one essentially ring-like radially protruding or extended

Has element or is limited by this. In this case, the loading boundary of the chamber given by the inner or outer wall of the tube parts and at least one ring-like element.

It is particularly advantageous if the at least one chamber has at least two essentially ring-like, radially protruding elements which are spaced apart in the axial direction. A chamber can thereby be defined, which is preferably of annular design. However, the chamber can also be divisible in the circumferential direction by the inclusion or formation of axial webs in ring segments.

Furthermore, it is expedient if at least one radially projecting element is an integral part of one of the tube parts. It can also be advantageous here if a plurality of ring-like parts is provided, where these are then optionally also connected to a tube part.

It is also advantageous if the ring-like protruding elements are formed in one piece with one and / or other tube part.

According to another exemplary embodiment, it is expedient if at least one ring-like protruding element is an additional component which is arranged between the one and the other tube part and is optionally connected to the one or the other tube part.

It can be advantageous in one embodiment if the

Chamber is at least substantially sealed by the ring-like elements. In another embodiment, it is advantageous if the chamber is essentially not sealed by the ring-like elements. Furthermore, it is expedient if the ring-like protruding elements serve as a support for the tubular parts, viewed in the radial direction. This can advantageously be achieved that the pipe parts do not tilt against each other. It is also expedient if the elements which protrude in the manner of a ring serve as axial bearings. As a result, the two pipe parts can at least slightly shift or move relative to one another, which can be caused by the thermal expansion in the case of temperature differences.

It is particularly expedient if the chamber is at least partially filled with an elastic means. Furthermore, it is expedient if the chamber is filled in such a way that a ring-like element is formed from the elastic medium in the chamber, which extends between the radially inner and the radially outer tube part. This ring-like element can only be created by filling the medium into a chamber.

In another exemplary embodiment, it is also advantageous if the elastic element can be inserted into a chamber as a ring element.

It can also be advantageous if the elastic element can be introduced into the chamber as a pasty or gel-like medium.

It is particularly expedient if a plurality of tubes or channels through which a first medium flows are arranged essentially parallel to one another radially within tube parts.

It may also be expedient if the plurality of tubes are each connected to a first end element at their first end region and are connected to the second end element at their second end region. Furthermore, it is expedient if the at least one tube through which a first medium flows is connected at least at one end region to a connecting element for supplying and / or discharging a first medium.

It can also be expedient if at least one closure element is connected to at least one connection element for supply and / or discharge from a first medium.

Furthermore, it is expedient if the tubular parts connected to the respective end elements form an essentially dense spatial area with elastic means provided in the chamber, at least two connecting elements being provided and a second medium through which the connecting elements can flow.

It is particularly advantageous if the second medium flows around the pipes through which the first medium flows.

The invention is explained in detail below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawing. The drawing shows:

1 shows a part of a heat exchanger,

2a shows a partial view of a heat exchanger, FIG. 2b shows a partial view of a heat exchanger,

3a shows a partial section through a heat exchanger,

3b is a partial section through a heat exchanger,

4a is a partial section through a heat exchanger,

4b shows a partial section through a heat exchanger and FIG. 5 shows a partial section through a heat exchanger. 1 shows a heat exchanger at least partially, a plurality of tubes 2 through which a first medium can flow being provided. According to the exemplary embodiment, these tubes are arranged in rows, several rows of tubes in turn being arranged next to one another. According to a further exemplary embodiment, however, it is also possible that at least only one tube is provided or that a plurality of these tubes are arranged in a different configuration.

The tubes 2 are preferably made of metal, such as aluminum or stainless steel. However, the tubes can also be made of another material that is suitable to ensure heat transfer from the medium flowing through the tube to another medium. Depending on the application, these tubes can also be made of plastic, for example.

The tubes 2 have a first end region 2a and a second end region 2b, which are each arranged at their two axial end regions. The tubes are each connected to a first end element 3 or a second end element 4 with these end regions.

The end elements advantageously have flat areas into which windows are inserted. The end elements are so with the

Pipes 2 connected so that the medium flowing through the pipes 2 can escape through the windows in the closing elements and the pipes are tightly connected at their end regions to the window frames of the closing elements. This is expediently carried out by welding or soldering or by another fastening or

Bonding process. According to the invention, a jacket 5 is arranged around the pipes 2, but this can only be seen in part in FIG. 1. With this jacket, which is sealingly connected to the end elements at its respective two end regions, connection elements 6, 7 are provided, through which a second medium can flow, in such a way that the medium according to arrow 8 moves into or around the space region. can flow between the tubes 2 and can continue to flow in this area according to the arrows 9 before it can flow out through the connection 7 according to arrow 10.

Advantageously, further connection elements are provided on the end elements 3 and 4, which serve to direct the first medium flowing through the pipes 2 to the heat exchanger or to derive it from the latter. However, these connection elements are also not shown in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 2a and 2b each show parts of a heat exchanger 100, the central tube-fin block 101 not being shown completely. In this regard, however, reference is made to FIG. 1 by way of example. FIG. 2a shows a connection element 110 which has two connection pieces 111 and 112. A first medium, such as an exhaust gas in the case of an exhaust gas heat exchanger, flows into or out of the heat exchanger through these connection pieces 111 and 112, depending on the arrangement of the heat exchanger in the flow of the first medium.

The connection element 110 is connected to the termination element 120, the termination element being connected to the tubes 101 as already explained in accordance with FIG. 1. Radially outside the at least one tube 101 or radially outside the tubes 101, two tube parts 130 and 131 are arranged. The first tube part 130 is expediently connected to the end element 120 in a sealed manner. Furthermore, the first tube part 130 has an opening through which the second medium can flow into the heat exchanger or out of the heat exchanger. To supply or discharge this medium, a connecting element, such as pipe socket 140, is expediently connected to the second pipe part 131. In the event that the components are made of stainless steel, it is expedient if connections are made by welding processes. For example, the connection element 110 can be connected to the end element 120 or the pipe socket 140 to the first pipe part 130 by means of the weld seams 121 or 132. The first tube part 130 can advantageously be designed as a round tube or as an angular tube. The choice of the geometry of the first tube part viewed in cross section advantageously depends on the arrangement of the tubes 101 in the interior of the first tube part. The second pipe part 131 can assume a corresponding geometry.

The second tube part 131 is designed such that it is at one

End region is connected to a terminating element 122, a connecting element such as pipe socket 141 being connected to the tubular part 131. In the area of the connecting element 141, the pipe part 131 expediently has an opening for the inflow or outflow of the second medium.

A connection element 115, which has a pipe socket 116 for the inflow or outflow of the first medium, is also connected to the closure element 122. According to the invention, it is expedient if the axial dimension of the first tubular part and the axial dimension of the second tubular part are such that part of the first tubular part is arranged radially outside a part of the second tubular part over a part of the axial extent of the heat exchanger , Thus, in this partial area of their axial extension, the two tube parts are arranged to run radially into one another.

Furthermore, it can be seen in FIG. 2a that in the area in which the two pipe parts 130 and 131 extend over a partial area of their axial

Extend radially into one another, a sealing element 150 is provided.

This sealing element 150 is designed in such a way that the two tube parts 130 and 131 can be moved at least slightly relative to one another in the axial direction and yet the space area is sealed radially inside the tube parts by the seal.

Furthermore, the first tube part 130 or the second tube part 131 has elements which protrude in the radial direction and are designed such that relative tilting of the two tube parts to one another is prevented as far as possible. For this purpose, the elements protruding in the radial direction, such as rings 160 and 161, are advantageously dimensioned in such a way that they touch or almost touch the other tube part and are, if appropriate, sealing or not sealing.

Figure 3a shows this again in detail. The tube part 130 is expediently provided by a weld seam 201 with the end element 120 along the circumference of the end element and tube part sealingly connected. The connecting piece 140 is also connected to the pipe part 130.

In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3a, the first tubular part 130 is radially outside the second tubular part 131. However, in another exemplary embodiment, this can also be interchanged.

Two elements protruding in the radial direction are connected to the second tube part 131, since they are formed in one piece, such as 160 and 161. In the space between the first tube part 130 and the second

Pipe part 131 and between the elements 160 and 161 projecting in the radial direction, a chamber 170 is formed between the first and the second pipe part.

A sealing element is advantageously introduced within the chamber 170.

In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, however, it can also be expedient that at least only one element projecting in the radial direction is provided or that a plurality of such elements, for example three or more, are provided, so that, for example, several chambers or Space areas are formed, which are arranged between the first and the second pipe part.

The elements 160 and 161 are advantageously designed as ring-like elements which protrude in the radial direction.

It may be expedient if these ring-like elements are an integral part of one or the other tube part with which sen are connected or arranged as extra components between these pipe parts.

The elements protruding in the radial direction serve on the one hand to define a chamber and on the other hand can be used in the radial direction

Directional support of the pipe parts can be used. This is particularly expedient in the event that at least two such elements 160 and 161 are provided, and these are spaced apart from one another, so that if these elements are suitably dimensioned, the respective tube part tilts in comparison with the other tube part

Pipe parts are limited to each other or reduced.

A sealing element can be introduced into the chamber 170. This element can be designed as an elastic element, such as an elastomer, silicone or another material.

The elastic element can be introduced as a prefabricated ring-like element in this spatial area or, according to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, can also be filled in at a later point in time after the assembly of the two tube parts through openings made in the radially outer tube part. Such a filling process can take place, for example, by injection. It may well be expedient if at least one, but advantageously also a plurality of openings are provided on the outer circumference of the radially outer tube part, through which the elastic means is introduced into the spatial area.

It can also be particularly expedient that the chamber 170 is not completely filled by the elastic means, but is only partially filled by it. This may have the advantage that the elastic medium due to the axial displacement of the two

Pipe parts 130 and 131 are not destroyed by shear forces. The elastic means can expediently be introduced in such a way that the elastic means can be introduced into the chamber as a pasty or gel-like medium.

The means can also be arranged such that the means is arranged as a prefabricated element. It can preferably be prefabricated and arranged as an annular element.

FIG. 4a shows a modification of the arrangement of the elastic element according to the preceding figures, the end regions of the chamber being formed by ends of the tube parts 201, 202 projecting radially inwards and outwards, and thereby the elastic element 203 between these projections advantageously rotate radially, can be brought under axial preload.

According to FIG. 4b, in a modification of the previous figures, the elastic element can also be joined or arranged between two tube parts 211, 212 which have no projections in the radial direction in order to define a chamber. The elastic element 213 is preferably arranged such that it adheres to the two inner and outer walls of the tube, so that it is arranged in a sealing manner.

FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of two pipe parts

250, 260, which extend radially outside one another in a partial region of their axial extent. The pipe part 250 is arranged radially inside the pipe part 260. The tubular part 260 has a region 261 projecting radially outward, which thereby forms a free space for forming a receiving space for a sealing element. The

Pipe part 250 has the region 253 projecting radially inwards which, together with the area 261, forms the chamber for receiving the sealing element. Furthermore, radially outwardly projecting regions are arranged on the element 250, which come or can come to support on the radially outer tubular part, so that the tubular parts cannot tilt relative to one another. This

Support elements 4 can also be arranged on the radially inner and / or outer tube part.

Claims

Pa t e n t a n s r u c h e

1. Heat exchanger with at least one tube through which a first medium can flow and which is connected at a first end region to a first end element and at its second end region to a second end element, with the first and second end elements in each case being a first and a first is connected to the second pipe part, characterized in that the two pipe parts run radially into one another at least over part of their axial extent and with at least one sealing element in the space between the pipe parts.

2. Heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one chamber is formed between the first pipe part and the second pipe part.

3. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one chamber is formed by the first pipe part and a second pipe part.

4. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one chamber has at least one essentially ring-like radially projecting element.

5. Heat exchanger according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the at least one chamber at least two substantially ring-like ra- diai projecting elements which are spaced in the axial direction.

6. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one ring-like radially projecting element is an integral part of a pipe part.

7. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ring-like protruding elements are formed in one piece with one and / or other pipe part.

8. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one ring-like protruding element is an additional component which is arranged between one and the other pipe part and is optionally connected to one or the other pipe part.

9. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chamber is at least essentially sealed by the ring-like elements.

10. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chamber is not sealed by the ring-like elements.

11. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ring-like protruding elements serve as support in the radial direction of the pipe parts.

12. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ring-like protruding elements serve as axial bearings.

13. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chamber is at least partially filled with an elastic means.

14. Heat exchanger according to claim 11, characterized in that the chamber is filled such that an annular element is formed from the elastic medium in the chamber, which extends between the radially inner and the radially outer tubular part.

15. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elastic element can be inserted as a ring element in the chamber.

16. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elastic element can be introduced into the chamber as a pasty or gel-like medium.

17. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of tubes through which a first medium flows are arranged essentially parallel to one another radially inside the tube parts.

18. Heat exchanger according to claim 1 and 4, characterized in that the plurality of tubes are each connected to a first end element at their first end region and are connected to the second end element at their second end region.

19. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one tube through which a first medium flows is connected at at least one end region to a connecting element for supplying and / or discharging from a first medium.

20. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one closure element is connected to at least one connection element for supply and / or discharge from a first medium.

2 I. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tubular parts connected to the respective end elements form an essentially dense spatial area with elastic means provided in the chamber, at least two

Connection elements are provided and a second medium can flow through the area through the connection elements.

22. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second medium flows around the tubes through which the first medium flows.